News / Regional
Soldiers arrested for killing a donkey thief
14 Aug 2012 at 06:07hrs | Views
THREE soldiers and a police officer have been charged with murder after a suspected stock thief was beaten to death.
Mpokiseng Moyo, 36, of Siboza Village in Beitbridge, met his fate after trying to escape from lawful custody on July 30, a court heard.
Police constable Josphat Handisiri, 30, and troopers Richard Muneri, 29, Judge Jachara, 24, and Nobert Prince Ndlovu, 19, were patrolling an area called Rustlers Gorge on the border with Botswana when they received information from their Botswana counterparts about a herd of donkeys which had been stolen and smuggled into Zimbabwe.
Handisiri, who was attached to the ZRP Support Unit at Fairbridge, and the three soldiers â€" all from the Armour Squadron 11 Combat Group in Bulawayo â€" launched an investigation and tracked the animals' spoor to Moyo's home.
Reason Mutimba, prosecuting, said the investigators found seven donkeys suspected to have been stolen from Botswana and arrested Moyo.
He was ordered to harness the animals to his scotch-cart and ferry the soldiers and police officer to their local base at Rustlers Gorge to record a statement.
But along the way, the court heard, the cart developed a puncture. Muneri, Jarachara and Ndlovu left Handirisi guarding Moyo while they went out to seek assistance in the local villages.
Mutimba told the court that Moyo then tried to escape on foot but Handirisi managed to catch up with him and the two started wrestling.
Moyo managed to overpower Handirisi but Muneri, Jarachara and Ndlovu returned just in time to rescue their colleague.
In the ensuing struggle, the four men assaulted Moyo with booted feet and fists. With a fractured backbone and bleading profusely, Moyo was left to die in the woods near Shanyaungwe village.
Magistrate Auxilia Chiumburu remanded the four in custody to August 23.
Mpokiseng Moyo, 36, of Siboza Village in Beitbridge, met his fate after trying to escape from lawful custody on July 30, a court heard.
Police constable Josphat Handisiri, 30, and troopers Richard Muneri, 29, Judge Jachara, 24, and Nobert Prince Ndlovu, 19, were patrolling an area called Rustlers Gorge on the border with Botswana when they received information from their Botswana counterparts about a herd of donkeys which had been stolen and smuggled into Zimbabwe.
Handisiri, who was attached to the ZRP Support Unit at Fairbridge, and the three soldiers â€" all from the Armour Squadron 11 Combat Group in Bulawayo â€" launched an investigation and tracked the animals' spoor to Moyo's home.
Reason Mutimba, prosecuting, said the investigators found seven donkeys suspected to have been stolen from Botswana and arrested Moyo.
He was ordered to harness the animals to his scotch-cart and ferry the soldiers and police officer to their local base at Rustlers Gorge to record a statement.
But along the way, the court heard, the cart developed a puncture. Muneri, Jarachara and Ndlovu left Handirisi guarding Moyo while they went out to seek assistance in the local villages.
Mutimba told the court that Moyo then tried to escape on foot but Handirisi managed to catch up with him and the two started wrestling.
Moyo managed to overpower Handirisi but Muneri, Jarachara and Ndlovu returned just in time to rescue their colleague.
In the ensuing struggle, the four men assaulted Moyo with booted feet and fists. With a fractured backbone and bleading profusely, Moyo was left to die in the woods near Shanyaungwe village.
Magistrate Auxilia Chiumburu remanded the four in custody to August 23.
Source - TC
